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Durieu Real Estate & Homes For Sale

Durieu is a small farming community, located northeast of Mission, BC, on Hatzic Prairie. The area was named for Archbishop Pierre-Paul Durieu, a Roman Catholic missionary and the first Bishop of New Westminster. Durieu is often referred to as Hatzic Prairie.

To the North is the small rural community of McConnel Creek and the back end of the Stave Lake recreational area. The farming communities of Hatzic Prairie (including Durieu) and McConnel Creek make up an area often proudly referred to by residents as "the backwoods of Hatzic Valley." The Hatzic Valley is roughly 11.3 km (7 mi) long and 1.6 km (1 mi) wide, lying between mountains that rise steeply on the West and East. In the mountainous region to the west is the community of Steelhead. Dewdney Peak is the south-westernmost summit of the Douglas Ranges that rise up to the east of Hatzic Prairie, in an area known unofficially as Hatzic Mountain; and south of the peak is the small agricultural community of Dewdney. Hatzic Lake is to Durieu's south. In the Northwest, Stave Lake extends into the Valley.

Over the past fifty years, the population of the Hatzic Valley region has grown significantly. Between the years of 1966 and 1971, the population grew by 40 percent. And then from 1971 to 1976, it grew by almost another 50%, from an estimated 625 residents to 925. Today the population in the valley is around 1,100. According to the latest census (2016), the population in Hatzic Prairie is 419; it's 340 in Durieu and 484 in McConnell Creek. Growth continues, and Durieu's population increased by 7.3% over 5 recent years (2011 and 2016 census).

Small acreage properties dominate the community of Durieu, with hobby farms, horse properties and large secluded homes at the end of long driveways. According to the 2016 census, 110 of the private dwellings were single-detached houses, 5 were apartment units (condo/townhouse/duplex), and 25 were mobile homes. 50% of households have couples without children, and 45% are couples with children. The median household The unemployment rate in Mission is 5.6%, which is below the province of British Columbia's 6.0% (2016).

Early settlers in Hatzic Prairie often built their homes entirely of cedar because the trees were so abundant. The sawmills, and cedar shake and shingle mills in the Mission area capitalized on their resource. Mission became known as one of the world's largest suppliers of red cedar shakes and shingles. The soil in the valley proved to be very fertile, so much of the land was cleared for farming over the years, but active logging continued in areas like Durieu Ridge and in the Pattison Creek watershed. In the south-eastern area of Hatzic Prairie, a mineral spring serves as a unique source of calcium required by band-tailed pigeons during their breeding season.

In 1948, the dyke broke at Hatzic Lake, sweeping away hundreds of feet of the CPR tracks, and flooding Hatzic Prairie. Within the span of twelve hours, Hatzic Lake had expanded by more than ten square miles. In response to the great flood, more than seven hundred families from Hatzic Prairie and Dewdney, along with their livestock, moved up to McConnell Creek. The valley floor ln McConnell Creek rises to an elevation of over 330 feet. Both the Community Hall and Hatzic Prairie School were damaged by the flood. The improved dyke system that came as a result of the flood has served the area well for over fifty years.

Most of Mission's northern and northwestern mountainous forests make up a tree farm. Covering more than 40% of the district's land, this tree farm has served as a model for silvicultural management on a larger scale, and has provided a source of continuing revenue for the municipality since 1958.

The District of Mission and surrounding rural communities enjoy an oceanic climate with mild winters and warm summers. Temperatures in January average 3°C, with a 17°C average in July. The average rainfall is 2,387 mm, and snowfall is 130cm.

Employment Opportunities

There are a few businesses in Durieu and Hatzic Prairie, but most jobs will be in farming. More than 95% of Durieu's residents drive to and from work. The distance to Mission, is about 15 minutes, via Sylvester Road and the Lougheed Highway (#7).

Historically, forestry and milling, hydroelectricity and agriculture were Mission's primary resource sectors. They also provided an economic basis for local retail and service businesses. Sawmills and food processing were the main Mission industries for quite a few years. Today, most of the Mission's workforce is involved in construction, manufacturing, retail, transportation, education and health care.

In the manufacturing sector, forest and wood-related industries are still dominant. Mission holds the only municipal tree farming license in the province, and this generates some jobs. Leading employers include BC Frozen Foods and T-Lane, a trucking firm. The government also developed two large penitentiaries in central Mission's Ferndale area — one minimum security and the other medium security — and these facilities provide some local opportunities.

Education

Durieu falls into the Mission School District #75 catchment area, and its designated public schools. Sadly, the Écoles Durieu Elementary School closed effective June 2011. Trustees used eight criteria, like inefficient and conflicting bus schedules and maximizing fiscal resources, when making the hard decision to close Durieu. Effective September 2011 Durieu's student body was merged with Hatzic Elementary. The student body increase had added significance because the Hatzic Elementary school turned 100 in 2011. Hatzic Elementary enrols students kindergarten through grade , and has roughly 300 students. The school is located a few blocks North of the Fraser River, in the community of Hatzic.

Hatzic Middle School also overlooks the Fraser Rive, and enrols about 720 students grades 7 through 9. Hatzic Middle offers a wide range of extracurricular activities and specialty programs including Concert Band and Choir, Environmental Club, Hockey Academy, Musical Theatre, Robotics and Volleyball Leadership.

École Mission Senior Secondary School was established in 195, and is the longest-servingg secondary school in the District of Mission. It was decided in 2014, by the trustees of School District #75, that the district would have only one secondary school. Mission Senior is a dual track school providing Regular and French Immersion program, and enrols students grades 10 through 12.

There are several private school options in Mission. Khalsa School – Mission is part of the oldest, largest and most reputable Sikh institutions of learning in BC. Khalsa enrols students grades 9 through 12. Valley Christian School accepts students kindergarten through grade12, and offers a Distributed Learning program, with an interdenominational Christian focus.

University of the Fraser Valley Mission Campus, at Heritage Park Centre, offers high quality, career-focused education that takes learning outside the classroom. The district also provides trades training, careers and apprenticeship programs at Riverside College. There are currently over 150 apprenticeable trades in BC. Summit Learning Centre operates across the province providing Home Education and Virtual Education tostudents in all grades, including individual secondary school courses.

Shopping/Dining

Located on Farms Road, Hatzic Prairie Market is pretty much all there is for shopping in Hatzic Prairie. The market is a small general store, but also serves as a restaurant, serving up hearty breakfasts and lunch items like burgers, fries, salads, sandwiches, and soup until 4:00; and freshly made sushi until 6:00.

The residents of Hatzic Valley may refer to themselves as "backwoods," but all the amenities and convenience of a small city are only minutes away. Downtown Mission is about 16 minutes (16.9 km) from Durieu by car. In addition to the many small shops dotting the streets, there are 2 additional shopping centres. Shops at Mission offers 13 stores, including a Walmart Supercentre, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart. Located at the corner of Highways 7 and 11, The Junction Shopping Centre has 39 stores, including Staples, London Drugs, and Save-On-Foods. The Junction also has well-known restaurants like Boston Pizza, Tim Hortons,Mr. Mikes Steakhouse and White Spot, and a Cineplex Silvercity Cinema.

Mission offers a great selection of fast food establishments, family restaurants, pubs, and fine dining. For a quick bit, or pub fare, you might like Character’s Pub & Grill, Black Sheep Pub or Kingfishers Waterfront Bar & Grill. Popular dinner spots include Eleni's Restaurant, Embers BBQ House, Mission Station Grill, and U & I Thai Restaurant. For date nigh, or a special occasion, The Blackberry Kitchen offers tempting menus that feature in-season, locally-grown ingredients, sustainable meat, fish, and poultry. They even grow their own herbs right beside the restaurant to provide the freshest flavours.

Transportation

Durieu is about 16 minutes away from Downtown Mission, by Highway 7. Mission's transportation infrastructure is built around Highway 7 (Lougheed Hwy), Highway 11 (Abbotsford-Mission Hwy) and the West Coast Express commuter railway. Highway 7 is 118 km (93 mi) in length, and follows the northern bank of the Fraser River west, connecting Mission with Maple Ridge, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Vancouver; and it connects with Highway 1 to the east, near Hope. Highway 11 is a flat 17 km (11 mi) expressway that divides Abbotsford down the middle, connecting traffic with Washington State Route 9, by way of the Huntingdon Canada–US border crossing.

For Vancouver commuters, there are two routes, and both take just under 90 minutes. The scenic route follows Highway 7 west from Durieu, through various urban centres. The more popular route takes Highway 11 south from Mission to Highway 1, and then the follows the divided highway west directly into the city.

The West Coast Express offers five commuter trains per day, running from Mission to Vancouver during the morning peak hours. They return to Mission in the evening. A one-way trip takes roughly 75 minutes, making it about 15 minutes faster than driving into Vancouver's Downtown. The 67.9 km bus trip from Vancouver to Mission is 1 hour and 21 minutes. Bus service is provided by the Central Fraser Valley Transit System, and it connects Mission with the City of Abbotsford, as well as TransLink, with service to the Coquitlam Central Station.

Arts and Entertainment

Located just southwest of Hatzic Prairie, Westminster Abbey is a community of Benedictine monks, established in 1939 from the Abbey of Mount Angel, Oregon. The abbey has a resident artist in Father Dunstan Massey, and his beautiful frescoes adorn the walls, and his concrete bas-reliefs are affixed to pillars in the church. The iconic abbey, tower, church and seminary were designed by the Norwegian architect, Asbjørn Gåthe. The abbey has a farm, to raise the cattle and chickens that help feed the monks. Every year, visitors come to attend mass, tour the monastery and take a contemplative walk of the grounds, overlooking the Fraser River Valley.

Mission Museum has been recording the Mission's history since the late 50s, educating its community and preserving the district's rich heritage. The museum offers historic walking tours and exhibits dedicated to the Sto:Lo first inhabitants, the arrival of the Oblates in 1861, the Great Land Sale of 1891, the Billy Miner train robbery of 1904, The Curious Collection of Anthony Taulbut, and much more.

Located in the Mission Arts Centre, The Rock Family Gallery provides and opportunity for local emerging artists to display their work. Artists and artisans not represented by a professional gallery are welcome to submit their 2D and 3D media and techniques. Mission Arts Council has been cultivating and nurturing awareness, and a commitment to the arts and culture in Mission since 1972. The council offers a variety of art classes, workshops, programs and special events throughout the year.

Mission School District, No. 75 owns and operates The Clarke Theatre, a multi-purpose facility that hosts local and touring events. The theatre has become the cultural hub for the District of Mission and hundreds of performances have been hosted in the 702 seat venue since it opened in 1996. Each July the Mission Folk Music Festival Society hosts the annual Folk Music Festival, which showcases emerging local and BC musicians.

Hatzic Prairie Community Hall hosts local functions and events, including dances, weddings, and meetings.

Sports and Recreation

There are several excellent hiking trails and parks around Durieu. Cascade Falls Regional Park is the primary attraction located in Hatzic Valley. The Cascade Falls drop 90 metres into an emerald pool. After a snow melt or heavy rainfall, the falls are particularly impressive due to the volume of water and spray. The forest trail follows Cascade Creek, where there are a series of other small falls to be seen. A viewing platform and suspension bridge provide great photo opportunities. The park has picnic tables and is dog-friendly.

Davis Lake Provincial Park is located to the east of the southern end of Stave Lake, and north of Durieu. In the summer, the water is warm enough for swimming. On the south end of Davis Lak,e there are campgrounds and beaches. Attractions include a prime bird habitat, waterfall, a lush forest made up primarily of Douglas fir and red cedar, an untouched stand of old growth Western Hemlock, and outstanding views of Mount Robie Reid. The lake supports small populations of cutthroat trout as well as Northern Pikeminnoww. There's a 1 km unmaintained gravel access road to the parking lot.

Dewdney Peak is the summit of a mountain immediately to the east of Hatzic Prairie, unofficially known as Hatzic Mountain. At the summit, the elevation is 930 m (3,050 ft) . The trail is 12.0 km round tri, and takes most hiking parties around 7 hours to complete. It's a relatively steep trail, with an elevation gain of 860 m. The trail is popular with hikers and snowshoers. Notable features include an emergency hut and viewpoint.

The District of Mission includes 23 local parks and trails, as well as 8 regional parks. The largest of these is Fraser River Heritage Park. The park is perfect for holding gatherings and has a large picnic shelter and gazebo. There are walking trails, a rose garden, restaurant, and some of the best views in Mission.

The Forestry Department manages Mission Tree Farm Licence #26, an area roughly 10,000 hectares in size. The Mission Municipal Forest provides many opportunities for recreation, like mountain biking, hiking horseback riding, swimming, boating and fishing, and snowmobiling in the winter. The area surrounds the Steelhead area to Hatzic Prairies' west, and extends north of Stave Falls, along the western shores of the Stave Reservoir.

Mission's proximity to the Fraser River provides a launch point for many enjoyable water-based activities, great fishing for salmon and green sturgeon, and many unspoiled green spaces. Motorsport enthusiasts have been enjoying Mission Raceway Park since 1965, with the thrill of drag racing, road racing, motorcycle road racing and motocross events.

Durieu has two golf courses, only a few minutes drive to the Southeast. Cedar Ridge Golf Course & Driving Range is an 18 hole par 3 course, with scenic viesw of the mountains and tree-lined fairways. The course was designed to be challenging even for expert, but is forgiving enough for beginners. Cedar Ridge also has the only driving range in the Valley with grass tees. Mission Golf & Country Club is a challenging 9 hole course with a demanding layout, attractive landscaping and thickly forested terrain.

The Mission Leisure Centre has something for everyone, with length swims, a leisure pool, water slide, swirl pool, steam room, and sauna. Lifeguard training and swimming lessons are available. The centre also has a strong health and wellness program, with youth fitness opportunities, spin, cross training, Aquafit, TRX, a weight room and personal training. There are soccer fields, and a drop-in gym, with basketball, floor hockey, and racquet courts. The ice arena provides public skating, hockey, spring break camps and ringette.

Investing in Durieu

For families looking for affordable acreage in a storybook treed prairie setting, Durieu is pretty much perfect. The area is secluded, yet minutes away from all the amenities, shopping and culture Mission City has to offer. Whether you're looking for some land to build a custom home, a horse property, or want to live sustainably on a family farm, Durieu fits the bill. There are job and business opportunities in Mission, but Vancouver is an easy90-minutee commute away; 15 minutes to the parking area by car, and 75 minutes by West Coast Express.

Durieu's population has continued to grow since the 1960s, so the investment potential is excellent. The District of Mission has seen a steady annual growth rate over the last 35 years, averaging over 3% annually. And Mission continues to develop as a young city. It offers the amenities and convenience of larger surrounding municipalities and cities, but has not lost its small-town feel. Housing prices on average have been lower in Mission than the rest of the Fraser Valley, making the area one of the most affordable places to live; an area particularly attractive to first-time homeowners.

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The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the MLS Reciprocity program of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLSR logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.